Work - Volume 40, issue 4

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Impact Factor 2019: 1.009

WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation is an interdisciplinary, international journal which publishes high quality peer-reviewed manuscripts covering the entire scope of the occupation of work. The journal's subtitle has been deliberately laid out: The first goal is the prevention of illness, injury, and disability. When this goal is not achievable, the attention focuses on assessment to design client-centered intervention, rehabilitation, treatment, or controls that use scientific evidence to support best practice.
WORK occasionally publishes thematic issues, but in general, issues cover a wide range of topics such as ergonomic considerations with children, youth and students, the challenges facing an aging workforce, workplace violence, injury management, performing artists, ergonomic product evaluations, and the awareness of the political, cultural, and environmental determinants of health related to work.

Dr. Karen Jacobs, the founding editor, and her editorial board especially encourage the publication of research studies, clinical practice, case study reports, as well as personal narratives and critical reflections of lived work experiences (autoethnographic/autobiographic scholarship),
Sounding Board commentaries and
Speaking of Research articles which provide the foundation for better understanding research to facilitate knowledge dissemination.
Narrative Reflections on Occupational Transitions, a new column, is for persons who have successfully transitioned into, between, or out of occupations to tell their stories in a narrative form. With an internationally renowned editorial board,
WORK maintains high standards in the evaluation and publication of manuscripts. All manuscripts are reviewed expeditiously and published in a timely manner.
WORK prides itself on being an author-friendly journal.

WORK celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2015.

*WORK is affiliated with the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT)**WORK is endorsed by the International Ergonomics Association (IEA)**WORK gives out the yearly Cheryl Bennett Best Paper Award*

Abstract: Objective: To identify methods used to assess physical activity and sedentary behaviour at the workplace and review the validity and reliability of these measures. Methods: Databases were searched for relevant published articles including MEDLINE, SPORT Discus, ProQuest and Google Scholar. Keywords used were physical-activity, workplace, sedentary-behaviour, measurement and questionnaire. Studies included were original, written in English, published between 1990 and 2009, and focused on validated physical activity and sedentary behaviour…measures at work. Eleven papers were identified in which three used criterion standards, three objective measures, and five subjective measures. Results: The most common method of data collection was through self-report, surveys or questionnaires. Physical activity measured with motion sensors, ranged from 4,422 to 10,334 steps/day (pedometers) and sedentary time ranged from 1.8 to 6 hours/day (h/d) (accelerometers). Self-report measures provided information relevant to the perception of physical activity at work (∼ 0.5 h/d), sitting time (> 3 h/d) and calculated energy expenditure (< 800 kcal/d). Conclusion: Physical activity levels at work were low while sedentary behaviour was high. This was largely a function of occupation (white-collar vs. blue-collar). None of the studies assessed validity or reliability of measures used however, instruments as assessed by others showed moderate to strong validity and reliability values.
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Abstract: Objective: Investigate the effect of the symptom magnification syndrome (SMS) behavior pattern on industrial rehabilitation on return to work and maintenance at work. Participants: A sample of 99 clients with active workers' compensation claims was studied; 25 identified as having SMS. Methods: A protocol-driven functional capacity evaluation (FCE) was administered and the presence of SMS was determined from a standard protocol that considered 13 factors. Results: Upon conclusion of intervention, 80…of the 99 clients were classified as ready to return to full-time usual and customary employment. The readiness for full-time return to work among those who did not have SMS (84%) was not statistically different from those with the syndrome (72%). Six months after discharge, follow-up work status data were obtained for 63 clients. Among those that did not display SMS, 76% continued to work full time, while 39% of those initially identified as SMS were working, a statistically significant difference. Conclusions: SMS had no significant bearing on work readiness, but appears to impact maintenance of employment. The value of return to work on a modified basis may need to be reconsidered, because none of the clients who had been discharged ready for modified work were employed at the six-month follow-up.
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Abstract: Objective: This study was designed to determine the efficacy of the implementation of computer workstation recommendation by an occupational therapist and the satisfaction of employees with these recommendations. The original worksite analysis was performed to decrease pain symptoms and discomfort of employees whose work is at a computer. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted in the participants' work environments with a follow-up questionnaire used. All participant responses underwent a cross-case comparison analysis to identify themes.…Results: Six of the seven participants reported experiencing a reduction in their musculoskeletal pain symptoms after implementing the ergonomic recommendations made following the computer station worksite analysis by an occupational therapist. The changes led to increased comfort and productivity. Conclusions: Compliance of the workers following through with the recommendations contributed to the improvement in musculoskeletal pain and discomfort for employees. Using a worksite analysis to provide customized ergonomic recommendations for an individual's computer workstation resulted in decreased upper extremity musculoskeletal pain and increased productivity for these employees.
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Abstract: Objective: The purpose was to explore and describe the everyday life experiences among people with a disability pension and their expectations for future occupational life. Participants: A purposeful sample of 14 men and women were interviewed. Of these, ten people received full-time disability pension and four people were on partial disability pension while working part time. Methods and Results: A content analysis approach revealed three themes: strategies for handling a changed life…situation, adaptations to remaining functional capacity, and expectations on future occupational life. Initially, leaving the work market entailed a period of emotional discomfort. To help handle this discomfort, structures for participation and performance came to signify a balanced everyday life. Conclusions: The central conclusion drawn is that the informants with full-time disability pension reconciled themselves to their situation, changing their conception of what life on a disability pension means, while those informants who worked part-time saw their future role as that of worker. Thus, being employed constitutes one factor that promotes a future work career. Another factor related to work capacity is the need for balance between paid work and domestic work reported by disability pensioners working part-time. This area could serve as a point of departure for work rehabilitation.
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Abstract: Objective: The purpose of this study was to detect any differences in electromyographic (EMG) activity in the neck and shoulder muscles while performing simulated orchard work with and without neck support. Participants: Fourteen healthy orchard harvesters (eight men and six women) who had no functional disorder of the neck or upper limbs and had never received orthopedic surgery were recruited. Methods: A repeated-measures design was used. The subjects were asked to perform simulated orchard work with…and without neck support. The EMG activities of the anterior deltoid, middle deltoid, upper trapezius, and triceps brachii (lateral head) muscles during the two conditions were analyzed using paired t-tests. Results: The EMG activity of the anterior deltoid and middle deltoid muscles increased significantly and that of the upper trapezius muscles decreased significantly when the working with a neck support compared to without it (p < 0.05). Wearing a neck support may prevent overuse of the upper trapezius muscles by encouraging shoulder elevation and activating the deltoid muscles. The activation of these muscles decreases scapular movement and the results in greater stabilization of scapulohumeral rhythm. Conclusions: The appropriate application of a neck support may be helpful in preventing disorders of the neck and shoulder muscles resulting from long-term intensive orchard work, however long term application of such support is necessary before definitive information is available.
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Abstract: Objective: Subjects with higher occupational position are speculated to have higher ability to handle with stress, and they were less affected by job stress. This study focused on the relationship between job satisfaction and three sub-scales of a brief job stress questionnaire (BJSQ) related to workload. Participants and Methods: This self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 371 employees of a company, and all the workers sent back their responses. Among the 57 items graded on…a 4-point Likert-type scale to measure job stressors, psycho-physical complaints, and support for workers, the authors studied the influence of quantitative and qualitative job overload (six items), job control (three items), and support port (six items). The job satisfaction score estimated on a 4-point Likert-type scale was also used in relation to job stress determined using a 15-item scale from the BJSQ based on demand-control-support model. Occupational positions were classified into directors, managers, and general workers, and the content of job was classified into clerical workers, skilled technicians, and unskilled manual workers. Results: All the scales on job stress presented acceptable alpha coefficients reflecting high internal consistency (job demand: 0.855, job control: 0.644, and support: 0.878, respectively). Principal axis factor analysis was conducted, and three factors were extracted; support, job demand and job control. There was a significant difference in the mean score among four groups divided by the job satisfaction level as evaluated by Dunnett's multiple comparison, and members who were dissatisfied with their job showed a high job demand, limited job control, and poor support. The mean score of support for managers were significantly higher (lower support) than that for general workers. The logistic regression analysis revealed that job control and support contributed significantly to job satisfaction. In addition, unskilled manual workers showed significantly higher job dissatisfaction compared with clerical workers. Conclusions: Worsening of job satisfaction was related to poor job control and lack of support. Strategies to alleviate job stress are therefore urgently needed.
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Abstract: Objective: Occupational therapists play an important role in work rehabilitation in getting people with chronic disabilities back to work. The Worker Role Interview (WRI) is intended to detect psychosocial and environmental factors influencing the ability to return to work for injured or disabled workers. This study examined the psychometric properties of the recently modified German version (WRI-G, 10.0) in a population with work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) in Switzerland. Methods: Data were gathered from 20…participants with work-related MSD. The interviews were conducted face-to-face and videotaped. Five occupational therapists, trained in the use of the WRI-G, independently rated all 20 interview recordings following the official manual. Thus, 100 ratings were analysed by use of Rasch analysis to test construct validity and transform ordinal raw data into linear data (person locations) for interrater-reliability calculations. Results: All items fit the Rasch model, except the item 'perception of boss'. The final WRI-G, consisting of 15~items, showed good overall model fit (X^{2} = 54.66, p= 0.04); excellent person-separation reliability (PSI 0.91) and high inter-rater reliability (mean ICC 0.90). Conclusions: Based on this sample, the WRI-G (10.0) is a valid and reliable instrument to assess psychosocial ability for return to work in a population with work-related MSD.
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Abstract: Understanding and promoting healthy workplaces is an important and growing area of interest in occupational health. Nature contact is a central component to the study of and promotion of healthy places. Previous findings suggest that nature contact influences health via stress appraisal process. Currently, there are no known comprehensive valid and reliable measures of nature contact, which presents obstacles to research and worksite health promotion. Objective: This study was designed to develop and test…an instrument to measure nature contact at work, entitled the Nature Contact Questionnaire (NCQ), 16-item self-reported checklist to measure actual exposure. Participants: A sample of 503 (30% response rate) office staff completed the questionnaire. Methods: Office staff were sent an email with a link to the electronic survey twice, two weeks apart. Results: Content and construct validity (KMO=0.68), internal consistency (Alpha=0.64), and test-retest reliability (r=0.85, p< 0.01) were established. Conclusions: The NCQ is the first known comprehensive, reliable and valid survey to measure nature contact, which allows research to compare forms of nature contact to best inform practice and design of healthy places.
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Abstract: Objective: The contribution of occupation and work organisation conditions to the development of chronic psychological distress in the Canadian workforce was examined. Participants: Longitudinal data came from the first five cycles (Cycle 1=1994–1995, Cycle 5=2002–2003) of Statistics Canada's National Population Health Survey. A sample of 5,500 workers nested in 1,300 neighbourhoods and aged 15 to 55 years. Methods: Data had a hierarchical structure and were analysed using multilevel logistic regression models.…Results: The results showed 46.4% of workers reported one episode of psychological distress, 23.5% more than one, and 10.6% three or more. Psychological distress decreased over time and varied significantly between individuals and neighbourhoods. Occupation was not significant, but psychological demands, job insecurity, and social support in the workplace were important determinants. The results showed strong contributions of individual and outside work factors (family, social support, neighbourhood). Conclusions: Research in occupational mental health must expand theoretical and empirical frameworks in order to capture actual workplace dynamics and the effects on workers' mental health. Interventions designed to reduce mental health problems should carefully evaluate not only the work environment itself, but also non-work factors and other individual characteristics.
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